Monday, October 24, 2011

Last Wednesday, October 19, Panhellenic women were invited to the KU Alumni Association to meet a group of four Panhellenic Alumnae, pick their brains and ask for advice on life after college. Members of the panel included:

Anne Atha a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority, graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biology, she is now in her third year of dentistry school at UMKC. She will graduate with a D.D.S in 2013.

Courtney Brax also a member of Pi Beta Phi sorority graduated in 2009 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Management. She is currently in her final year at the KU School of Law and will graduate in 2012 with certificates in Business, Commercial and Tax Law.

Mallory 'Hammersmith' Hannah is a member of Chi Omega sorority and graduated in 2008 with a Bachelor of Science in Journalism with an emphasis in strategic communications. She is now an Account Manager at Diamond Merckens Hogan Advertising Agency in Kansas City.

Jessica Roberts is a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority and graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She currently works as the Associate Director of Annual Giving, specifically Mail Campaigns for KU Endowment.

Undergraduate women posed questions and panhel members offered advice. Here are a few pieces of advice from panel members:

Don't be afraid to put yourself out there. Sometimes you have to cold call in order to gain connections. Most people are happy to help younger professionals. The worst they can say is no. So go for it.

You can NEVER be too persistent. Get creative when trying to contact and network. Drop by the office and see if someone is free to chat or grab coffee. Did you recently go on vacation? Send your connections a postcard. People will be impressed with your dedication.

Talk up your Greek involvement. What you do in the Greek community is impressive, so don't be afraid to showcase what you've done and what you've learned. Many people are curious about Greek life, so explain it to them! Just remember to avoid using jargon only Greeks would know.

If you are interested in post-graduate experiences like Peace Corps, Teach for America etc. Go for it! Employers and graduate schools look very favorably upon these experiences. They show you are a dedicated and driven person, that you can fully commit yourself to a cause for an extended period of time.

Resumes should be one page! If your experiences run longer than a page ask someone to help you pare down the information. You often get attached to the things on your resume and it is harder to let go of certain experiences. Ask someone else to decide what is the most impressive and work from there. You may also be able to combine and condense lines of your resume. For example, put all your volunteer experiences on one line. If you do not have enough experience to fill a page, expand on your existing experiences. Discuss what you did and what you learned from each opportunity. How are those skills transferable to the job you are applying for?

Customize. Customize. Customize. Research the company you are applying to and tweak your resume, cover letter, writing samples and interview answers to fit that specific company. Highlight the experiences that best relate to the job you want.

You are also interviewing the company, they aren't just interviewing you. Yes, you want a job, but don't settle for just any job. Ask questions during the interview. Is this company really going to be a good fit? Can you see yourself working there? Will you be happy spending 40 hours a week with these people?

Learn what you want in a job from your internships. Don't be discouraged if your internship didn't turn out to be exactly what you hoped for. Now you know what you like and what you don't. This is great information to have during a job search.

We are proud of the accomplishments made so far by our panel members and we are looking forward to seeing what great things our current undergraduates go on to accomplish! Special thanks to the panel members, Alumni Association and Stephani Gerson for helping to make this event a success.

Did you attend this great event? Leave a comment letting us know what piece of advice was most helpful for you!

Friday, October 21, 2011

We are proud to announce that Annie Brown of Delta Gamma has been selected as October's Scholar of the month!

Annie is a pre-occupational therapy major. She has managed to maintain a high academic standard while being involved in various leadership opportunities on campus. She is the Vice President of Social Standards for her chapter as well as a director for Rock Chalk Revue. She also spends countless hours rehearsing and performing as a Rock Chalk Dancer.

Monday, October 17, 2011

October has become a month associated with everything pink. Organizations and groups around the nation raise money and awareness for breast cancer research. Being the largest women's organization on the KUcampus, the Panhellenic Association has a unique stake in the health and well-being of women.

This year, the Panhellenic Association at KU has made a commitment to "Knock Out Breast Cancer" and has teamed up with the Emily Taylor Women’s Resource Center to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.

The American Cancer Society has estimated there will be 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed this year. In order to raise awareness of this fact and many others, the two groups will be setting up tables on campus from Monday, October 17 through Friday, October 21. At these tables, students will find information about breast cancer and how to check for the disease. Students can write and send postcards to their mothers, grandmothers, family members and friends, reminding them to check for breast cancer. There will also be a memorial ribbon wall where students can honor their loved ones who have been affected by breast cancer.

Panhellenic chapters have also participated in three fund raising efforts to support breast cancer research. These efforts culminated in a more than $1,800 donation to the KU Cancer Center and the Lawrence Memorial Hospital Breast Cancer Center.

This year, 12 of the 13 chapters on campus sold a total of 487 breast cancer awareness t-shirts. This figure is about one-third of the total Panhellenic population. Proceeds from these sales totaled $1,500, which will be donated to the KU Cancer Center.

Sororities on campus also bought ribbons to adorn their chapter houses and Jayhawk Boulevard. Eight chapters purchased a total of 30 ribbons. This raised $300 in donations to Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Finally, all 13 Panhellenic chapters signed up to host “Pink Hair for Hope” parties at their chapter housing facilities. At these parties, chapter members will be able to purchase pink hair extensions for a $10 donation, benefitting the Lawrence Memorial Hospital.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Happy Founder's Day to the "Real, Strong Women" of Alpha Chi Omega! On this day in 1885 the Women's Fraternity was founded by seven women at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana.

The Fraternity colors of scarlet and green were selected to represent the fall colors present on campus during the organization's founding. The Lyre was chosen as the Fraternity symbol because of its connection to music and Greek mythology. Each founder of Alpha Chi Omega was a talented musician.

Interested in music from early childhood, Anna was the youngest student to do advanced work at DePauw’s School of Music, graduating at the age of 19. Anna was an accompanist, performer and teacher in the school for 10 years. She lived in Greencastle all her life, and the first Alpha Chi Omega convention took place at her home.

Olive Burnett Clark (1867–1957)

Olive (called “Ollie” by her friends) studied piano, violin, cello and double bass. She taught at DePauw for two years while carrying on her studies. In her junior year, she left school to take teaching positions in Anderson and Franklin, Indiana. “I have found no greater happiness in my life than in Alpha Chi Omega,” she said later in life. “All I have ventured to give toward the upbuilding and uplifting of our fraternity has been from the depths of my heart, and has been repaid in thousand-fold by my girls.”

Bertha Deniston Cunningham (1869-1950)

When Bertha’s parents decided their musically advanced daughter should continue her studies at DePauw, she had to play for Dean Howe to determine just how advanced she was. She went on to become the envy of the school’s music students because of her composing skills. She also was an accomplished performer and successful teacher in the School of Music for 10 years. Hers is the only one of five original badges that exists today. It’s on display at Alpha Chi Omega Headquarters.

Amy Dubois Rieth (1868-1915)

Amy was only 15 when she entered DePauw. She studied both voice and pianoforte. She was known as “the little girl with the big voice,” and was selected to sing important roles in school productions. Amy had a quiet and straightforward manner, which belied her fondness for pulling pranks on her fraternity sisters. Her influence on the fraternity endured long after she left to teach music in Kansas.

Nellie Gamble Childe (1867-1960)

Nellie studied piano from an early age and, after much deliberation, chose DePauw. She was described variously by her sisters as being gentle, energetic, earnest and friendly, leading a life of “quiet influence for good.” Later in life, she cultivated roses and loved to garden. She said that Alpha Chi Omega had a small beginning, but was built by loyal women with high standards who have achieved “marvelous results.”

Bessie Grooms Keenan (1866-1920)

Bessie began studying music as a young child and was an accomplished pianist by the time she entered DePauw. Near the end of her first year there, she strained the muscles of her left hand from over-practice and had to give up the ambition of her life. However, she gave much of her time to help build Alpha Chi Omega. Her daughter, Hannah, eventually became director of Alpha Chi’s central office, later known as headquarters.

Estelle Leonard (1860-1955)

Estelle entered DePauw hoping to make a living as a musician. Most of her time was spent practicing or studying. She also served as Dean Howe’s secretary for two years. Though she had serious goals and a “dignified appearance,” she was known for playing practical jokes on her colleagues. She graduated in 1891 and had a full career, teaching music, publishing piano compositions, and reporting for the local newspaper. Long involved with Alpha Chi Omega, she attended more conventions than any other founder. She was described in our 1948 history as “distinctly modern in her ideas” and as having “developed independence, decision, and a rather bohemian attitude.”

Monday, October 3, 2011

Saturday marked the 99th annual Homecoming here at the University of Kansas! KU holds the second oldest Homecoming in the nation. This year, the theme was "From Lawrence with Love."

Over the years many activities and traditions have been established and lost, but Greek life has always played an integral part during this week. Panhellenic sororities and Interfraternity Council fraternities pair up and compete in activities throughout the week to gain points. At the end of the week, the group with the most points is announced the winner during halftime of the Homecoming game.

This year there were twelve catergories in which Greek groups competed. These competitions as well as partipation in activities earned points toward the overall win.

The winners for 2011 were as follows:

Overall — Alpha Chi Omega and Kappa Sigma

DAILY EVENTS:

Sunday, Sept. 25Stuff the Bus
Groups competed to see who could donate the most canned food.

Mural Contest
Groups painted homecoming themed murals which were displayed on Wescoe beach. Individuals could vote for their favorite by donating a dollar to the United Way. The group with the most money/votes won the people's choice award. 1st: Alpha Delta Pi and Sigma Alpha Epsilon

2nd: Alpha Gamma Delta and Theta Chi

3rd: Delta Delta Delta and Delta Chi

People's Choice: Gamma Phi Beta and Delta Tau Delta

Jayhawk Jingles
Groups performed a short homecoming themed skit. They changed the words and danced to popular songs as well as the KU Alma Mater. Individuals could vote for their favorite jingle by donating a dollar to the United Way. The group with the most money/votes won the people's choice award.